


The Sun of The Wolf

by special_nay



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Inspired by Game of Thrones, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-06-22 07:11:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15576567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/special_nay/pseuds/special_nay
Summary: Baekhyun was the Prince of Sunflowers. Chanyeol was the Wolf of the North. They fell in love when the world against it."North remembers, Baekhyun. North remembers and I shall never forget you. Even if I die."[ Game of Thrones AU ]





	1. BAEKHYUN

**Author's Note:**

> I just kinda want to try to post something here. A cross-posted fic from AFF by the same author.

                Byun Baekhyun first saw him in King’s Landing, at the Tourney thrown by the King himself to celebrate the King’s name day. A ritual held at least 3 times every year, quiet actually, for the King was a little fond of tourneys.

The tourney this time, however, whispered had it to be bigger than the last tourneys they had. It much was true, for this time it was not only for the King’s name day but also part of the celebration for the royal wedding. Byun Baekbeom, the first son of the King, the crown prince, was to wed the maid from Highgarden, the only daughter of House Bae. That made the city crowded with wedding guests from all the Seven Kingdoms. All the lords, high and low, knights and singers were invited. Every day there would be wheel-house and companionship passed the gate of the City Walls. By now, the inns were all full even with almost twice the price. Brothels harvested their gold as well from free riders to the Lords who needed a pretty woman to warm their beds.

The first morning of the tourney, hundreds of pavilions had been raised alongside the river with different colors and house banners. The folks who were crowding and shouting at each other to move faster made a fence alongside the Kingsroad, cheering at him and made way when his litter’s wheels crawl among them. Through the golden silk that turned the world into a world of gold color, Baekhyun could see the smile and beams on their faces, the excited chatters among the young ones and some shouts, while children were being raised on top of their fathers’ shoulder for better sight. They all came here for the same reason, for the big entertainment of their life that came not once in a moon turn.

A little girl, no older than six, dirty light brown hair and eyes a shade darker of her hair’s color, sitting on top of a big man with shoulders so wide and all muscles (a Smith, Baekhyun was sure he was), gave him a cheery smile and waved. He returned the gestures almost instantly, waving and smiling widely even after the girl had passed and the other folks replaced. They smiled, waved, and shouted his name. _His people loved him._ Baekhyun pleased by the fact, by the peace, and love he received.

A strong and tall brown horse leading his small companion came into halt, and so did his litter. The rider, a man with his scaled armor the color of charcoal, and cloak as white as fresh-fallen snow, climbed off the mare and walked to the small door of Baekhyun’s litter, reaching his palm out for Baekhyun to hold onto. Baekhyun recognized him as Choi Minho of House Choi through the wings of Eagle on his newly forged helm. It looked handsome on him and suited his armor, Baekhyun made a mental note to praise his appearance later. He took the hand, anyway, mumbling a small ‘thank you’ as he hopped from the step of his littler and landed on his two feet. As he restored his sight from the ground back to his guard, he saw six more of white cloaks were already there, saluting him.

 _The Kings-guard._ All seven of them.

Baekhyun gave them acknowledged nod.

“You look so lovely today, My Prince,” the one with shining gold armor beneath his cloak, shield the same color with the Tiger of Shim house printed on it. So fierce. So shining. Just like his tiger-head helm.

 _And lovely._ He knew Changmin was a nice person and finest sword in the Seven Kingdom. The man was a noble knight and would never mean ill for him. He was also pleased to take notice of the fine green silk accompanied by black leather he chose today to match the cloak of his House. It was clasped by a lion head on the shoulder. The sun reflected on his soft golden locks like some crown and melted on his emerald eyes. He was eternally beautiful, for anyone who laid his eyes upon him.

But still, for a man to be called lovely was something unusual. For men should be gallant, handsome and brave. Lovely was for ladies. His father wouldn’t fancy to hear this compliment, but Baekhyun’s cheeks flushed faintly before he dismissed them by smiling so wide.

“Thank you, Shim Changmin,” Baekhyun gave the Head of the Kingsguard his signature bright smile, a smile so bright that put the sun to shame, they called. “You look handsome, as always. Will you join the tourney today?”

“Of course, for My King, and for the smile of My Prince. Will you be my champion today?”

Baekhyun chuckled. “Ah that, I feel honored. But I am not a lady. And I believe there are more than a couple dozens of noble ladies out there willing to be a champion for Knight as brave as you, Sir.”

By then Baekhyun noticed his squire standing behind him. His grey mare was still by his side as he was riding beside Baekhyun’s litter.

“Jongdae, can you fetch me my bow?” he said and the boy didn’t have any wish to argue. He was quick to comply and fetched Baekhyun’s bow and set of arrows wrapped in a leather shield from his litter. Somehow, Baekhyun felt safe with his bow within his reach.

Unlike the other squire, Jongdae wasn’t much younger than Baekhyun. He was born less than a year after the prince. His house, House Kim, was one of the most loyal bannermen for the House Byun. His great grandfather had fought bravely beside Byun Baekbeom the first to send Dornish away and win them the throne. For his loyalty, Baekbeom the Conquer had given a greater land in the River for his great grandfather along with a Lord title. This friendship brought their family close to the royal family. Always be in the first list of guest for anything and be trusted the most. This also earned the boys from House Kim the honor to be the squires for the King and the princes. Little Jongdae had grown fond of the Prince ever since that time the King and his family visit their castle for hunting and the little prince Baekhyun had humbly offer to play with him and shared bread. He was just a bundle of sunshine, always laughed and always made other people, young and old, stable boy and lord laugh with his witty japes and antics. Jongdae admired him. They grew close within days that when Jongdae got offered to be tagged along to the Red Keep to be Baekhyun’s squire, he was more than glad to accept.

Baekhyun bid the Kingsguard goodbye and continued his steps to his arranged high seat beside the King and the Crown Prince, Byun Baekbeom. The King’s Council was also there. As he passed, he gave some small talk of courtesy to each one of them; the first one to his feet and granted him with a smile was the recent Master of Coins, Kim Junmyeon, he was uncle to Jongdae from the father side. Unlike the previous Master of Coins, Junmyeon wasn’t bald, nor was he old. He was a short young man in his early thirty, clean shaved handsome face and smile so elegant. His short black hair was always styled and he always smelled nice. It was known that through his wits and hard work, he gained himself bunches of gold, one of reasons why the King himself replaced the old Master of Coins for him.

“You must be busy these days,” Baekhyun said, humorous tone. “How many gold we must dig for all this royal wedding?”

“Oh, you don’t ask me. Your father is really fond to give my ugly head a headache.” Lord Junmyeon chuckled.

Beside Lord Junmyeon, would always sit Lord Yoo Jaesuk, Master of Laws. He was old, well passed forty closer to fifty. Yet he had a young spirit that brought him closer to younger men and ladies. In the council, he was closest to Lord Junmyeon as both fancy to share japes. Even though if you ask Baekhyun, he would say Lord Jaesuk was way funnier. He japed as much as he breathed. Only the Sevens know why was he chosen as Master of Laws.

“You hurt my eyes, today, Your Highness,” he said. “Too bright. My poor old eyes don’t deserve your sunshine alike presence.”

Baekhyun blushed a little as he laughed. “If only I didn’t know you are the King of Japes, I would already be flying to the moon, now, My Lord.”

There were also Lord Yang Hyunsuk, an old man not much older than Lord Jaesuk with lack of humor, Baekhyun didn’t talk much but exchanging some curtly greeting with him. Lady Joohyun, however was much more welcoming. The small woman pulled Baekhyun to kiss him on the cheek, and Baekhyun, in return, kissed her knuckles. Father thought it was good to have two opposite characters like her and Lord Hyungsuk in the council as the advisors. It was a good idea, except sometimes they wouldn’t meet an agreement and his father would come back whining about them.

Baekhyun hadn’t finished his small talk with Lady Joohyun when someone tapped him on the back.

“Boy. You forgot your favorite, greatest Master of Whisperers in the Seven Kingdoms,” he said, kissing Baekhyun on his left cheek.

It was uncommon greetings for males to do. But it was Lim Heechul, bastard of Kim, Master of Whisperers, also known as Black Bird for he knew all the secrets from all the corners of the country in a blink of eyes, even the darkest ones. And Lim Heechul was anything but common. The slim man liked to wear silks and dyed his hair blue, or yellow, or red. Today it was ice blue, to match his satin silk. And if Lord Junmyeon always smelled nice, Lord Heechul smelled even nicer, stronger. He smelled of fruits and flowers, and he never hesitated to share this with Baekhyun.

That was why Baekhyun was closest to him than the others. The Black Bird had no care in the world, even Baekhyun was beyond sure he knew that people whispered about him being a ‘queer’ behind his back. He knew every whispers, however. People might call it a shame, a bad omen, Baekhyun would call it bravery.

“What your little birds whispered to you this morning, Heechul?”

“Many and more,” Heechul replied softly. “Boys like you are always curious. But some whispers are better left, unheard, Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun smiled. “If that what you say, spare me the bitter truth, then.”

By the time Baekhyun arrived at his seat, he gave his father and brother a short greeting, commenting the crowd, and the guests, and the huge celebration the way he knows his father took a pride of. For his brother, he complimented Baekbeom’s handsome doublets with the color of green so deep it looked almost black. The latter gave him a smile and showed Baekhyun his new sword. Valyrian steel, he said. The hilt was a lion head made by gold and jade.

“Wedding gift from Uncle Seunghyun. He said he also have similar one for you later.”

 _Except, I don’t like swords._ Baekhyun didn’t say it out loud. He just smiled and admired the beauty, listening Baekbeom boasting about the history of the fine sword halfheartedly. He couldn’t be any more relief when Baekbeom finally done. Baekhyun was quick to swift his attention.

“My Lady,” he greeted the lady who sit shyly beside Baekbeom. Whispers had it that the maid of seventeen was beyond pretty. Unlike other whispers, this one was true. Many common folks came to witness by their own eyes. Bae Sooji was tall, almost as tall as Baekhyun, with high cheekbones and big round eyes. Her brown locks touched her hips, framing a face of a goddess. She was wearing a crown of forget-me-nots today, some scattered along her long hair, it matched her light blue silky dress.

“You look so beautiful, today, My Lady. My brother looks like a filthy rag sitting beside you,” he joked.

That got Lady Sooji laughed. “You are too nice, Your Highness. If I may say, you look even more beautiful.”

“Our lady is too kind,” he retorted, tight smile on his lips. “I often hear that. Thank you.”

 _Beautiful isn’t for men,_ his royal father’s words rang in his ears.

The loud sound of the horn blasting in the entire field saved Baekhyun from further talk. He resumed onto his seat with Jongdae tattered behind, and so did everyone else. This meant the joust would start soon.

“Who do you think will win, Baekhyun?”

Baekhyun glanced at his brother, taking in his appearance, the glint in his eyes, and hummed. They had the same eyes, the same nose, they looked similar but all the same different.

His father passed everything to Baekbeom. His handsome face, bushy eyebrows, jet black hair, the height and the built, his skill for swords and axes, and his throne in the future. Baekhyun, on the other side, was a representation of his mother, a beautiful woman from the River. His slender figure, beautiful hands, hair the color of the sun as soft as expensive fur, his face that made all maidens in the Seven Kingdoms green with envy. And his smile, his smile was so bright that the folk loved him. They called him The Prince of Sunflower. Beautiful and bright.

“I’m not sure, last time, that new Knight from House Oh won,” he said, scrunching up his little button nose thoughtfully. “I want to have a faith in Shim Changmin again, but even I not sure anymore.”

Baekbeom chuckled. “I would bet my favorite dagger for that Oh boy again. He was fearsome.”

“Isn’t it too early for gambling, sons?” The King chuckled from his glass of wine.

“Yeah. I would save it for the final round then. This time, I will win, Baekhyun.” He said with determination, which Baekhyun only chuckled at. Last tourney he won, and so the tourney before that and before that one again. Baekhyun just had more luck.

If there was one thing could hold Baekbeom still in his seat at every tourney, it was the gambling. He wasn’t as fond as his father of tourneys. Even Baekhyun liked it better. _Watching is no fun, and jousting is only kids’ play,_ Baekbeom would say each time. He would prefer to be in a battlefield now, swinging his longsword to slay the foe’s heads. He was brave, he was ideal prince and ideal king. But one thing Baekhyun loved about his brother was, he would never leave Baekhyun alone.

Baekbeom was his only brother. He supposed to have two more. One was a second brother after Baekbeom, died by flux when he was still a suckling babe. Another brother he never met was born after him. Baekhyun was a toddler, no older than four, all he could remember was the swell of his Lady Mother’s belly he often to rub when she told him stories before bed. Then his Lady Mother gone along with the babies. All masters had tried to save her, but Seven took her. It also took most smile of his Royal Father’s face. The council told him to take another wife, a new queen, but each time he would furiously tell them to go home.

“It started!” Jongdae’s whisper brought him back before he was dragged further to the dark memories.

He was now grinning, legs swing excitedly from his high seat and eyes gleaming with awe as they took in sight of hundreds knights on their strong horses in the field. Cloaks from all colors waved elegantly with every move, and the morning sun reflected on their shining armors and shields. Baekhyun also recognized banners waved by the commons, supporting the knights who went for jousting today. There was a black stag in a yellow field of House Choi, the dark blue the color of night sky with a big crescent moon in the middle of House Im, Baekhyun also noticed House Shim, cheering loudly for the youngest of the Shim family, Shim Changwook. House Oh, whose the son, Oh Sehun won last year’s tourney. House Yoon, a rather small yet rich family. House Kim, where his squire, Kim Jongdae came from, and some other lesser houses.

The joust soon started. Choi Siwon from House Choi, one of a strong and gallant knight and a hedge knight, a youth named Ong Seungwoo were the first for the battle. It was pretty much predictable, for Siwon was a well-known knight who tasted several battles for his own good, and Seungwoo only joined his first tourney today. The result came within two minutes after it started, Siwon drove his lance against Seungwoo’s shining bronze’s steel and the boy stumbled down his ride. He was lucky enough he didn’t broke his legs in the process of falling.

The second joust was between Shin Hoseok of House Shin, another gallant knight who got the common scream when he waved from his ride, a black stallion draped in a blanket of black with gold treat sewn on it to match his black and gold armor and heavy cloak, and his foe, Kim Jongin. Baekhyun cheered for the man in instant. He had known him for years when he was still a squire for Baekbeom. Jongdae shouted even harder for his cousin, seemingly forget that the King, the Queen and the Crown Prince were just few feet away from his lower seat beside Baekhyun. The two put on intense battle. Blow after blow were exchanged but the two stilled. One time, Hoseok’s lance split when it smashed hard against the dark green of Jongin’s shield and Jongin’s lance broke on Hoseok’s, all at the same time. The squires soon went about to fetch them new lances and the battle resumed.

“Seven save me! Jongin almost fell!” Jongdae shrieked.

“No! Jongin is so strong he almost knocked Hoseok down!” Baekhyun exclaimed against it, hands clasped together and lips bitten unconsciously. Jongdae didn’t argue, he clung to Baekhyun’s seat for dear life, hoping that Baekhyun was right.

“Do you think he can win?” Jongdae half asked, half whined. “I mean, we all know Wonho, he even unhorsed Changmin last year!”

“Ugh, he was one of the fiercest Knights in Seven Kingdoms indeed. But have a faith in Jongin!” Baekhyun said, smacking Jongdae on the arm.

Hoseok kicked his stallion and the animal galloped in all speed, lance aiming for Jongin’s chest. He almost got him, if not for Jongin and his mare dancing gracefully away from the blow. It was too quick, everyone didn’t have time to bat eyelashes when Jongin stroke Hoseok by the side of his chest and send him off his horse. Jongdae’s and Baekhyun’s cheers were deafening.

The battles went on and on. Baekhyun didn’t really know the next knights in the battle so he took his sweet time downing his lemon cake frosted with sugar and some fresh sweet strawberries served in front of him while Jongdae kept tugging on his arm for attention.

“Look, Your Highness! Did you hear it too? Yah! Have a look!”

“Hmm,” Baekhyun replied simply, pecking the sugar from his fingers. He heard it, the gasps of the crowd, but lemon cake was more important.

Then he saw him. His cloak was grey, fasten with a white wolf enamel. He rode a grey stallion with grey blanket draped over it. His shield was the same color with a direwolf head on it. But what stole the common’s breathe was the direwolf riding beside him.

“Isn’t it a wolf?” He heard someone screamed.

“Gods be good. That’s a direwolf!”

It was a wolf as huge as the stallion. His fur was light ash, almost white. Baekhyun saw the man with grey cloak pet it on the head behind the fur and the direwolf run back to the side of the field, away from the battle.

Baekhyun didn’t know why, but he couldn’t peel his eyes off the man. As if his plain grey cloak was the most beautiful silk and gem he had ever seen. As if he was Baekbeom the conquer. As if he rode dragon under his legs. He just followed his every move.

But it wasn’t until the new Knight turned his head and met his eyes. His pale blue eyes felt as cold as ice. The wind blows his hair. He hadn’t done his helm. His hair… it was red, kissed by the fire. Baekhyun belated realized that when his breathe finally back at him. That Knight simply stole it away when he looked at Baekhyun.

“Who is he?” Baekhyun whispered to Jongdae. The Knight had done his helm and ready with his lance.

“A wolf,” Jongdae whispered back simply, making Baekhyun turned to him with eyebrows knitted, demanding for future explanation. “The men from the North,” Jongdae added, as if to read Baekhyun’s previous frown. “They are wolves, as you can see their banner, a black direwolf in a grey field. They didn’t usually come down from the North for a tourney, but the King invited them, the Park family. And that one in front of you now, is Park Chanyeol, the eldest son of House Park. And his father, Park Jungsoo, is the Warden of the North, kind of the Left Hand of the King.”

 _Ah_! Baekhyun thought. He did hear about the Park, but he had never visited the North himself. They said it was cold there, ice everywhere, and Baekhyun, all his life, had been living in the warmth of King’s Landing’s long summer and warm winter.

“He looks scary. Maybe it’s his direwolf,” Jongdae commented again, slightly nudging Baekhyun’s elbow.

 _Yes,_ he replied but his insides were beating hard. But he felt no energy to cheer and gossiping around like he did few moments ago.

There was something about that Knight. He didn’t know what it was.

Park Chanyeol brought his stallion to dance around gracefully without so much of noises, like a whisper as he drove his lance to his enemy, which was happened to be Lee Donghae, one of the Kings-guard. Grey cloak and white cloak fought fiercely, stole the common’s breathe. Once Donghae reeled, is lance broke and his squire run to him to fetch him a new one. Donghae kicked his stallion with his boots, aiming for a quick and hard force to end the battle. But before before he could blink an eye, Chanyeol was there before him, droving his dull wooden lance through the heart of Donghae’s shining armor. The next time Baekhyun knew, Donghae was already stumbling in the mud and the common cheered for such intense battle.

Baekhyun didn’t once take his eyes off of the man.

 


	2. BAEKHYUN [2]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Give me a favor and let me be your champion, Your Grace."

 

The sky had colored with orange above the grey when the joust was put to end. The final match wasn’t up until the sun was on the sky again the next day. On the first light, the King had ordered so for the dusk had fallen and the sun was down. On the morrow, they have four Knights for the final round, along with archery and melee. There was Siwon of House Choi, Changmin of House Shim and the commander of the Kingsguard, Oh Sehun, the youth who robbed many lords off in the last tourney with his unexpected win, and the last one, was that _wolf._ If Gods be good, it all could be finished in one day.

While the common had vanished to get back to their own home, The King had ordered all his guests to come to the feast served alongside the river. Many tables and benches had been set up. Ox and aurochs had been roasted. The greasy smell could be sniffed even from yards away. Three lamprey pies so huge even the Lord Cow, a big man, almost seven feet tall and thrice wide of other people could sit on they were brought by a wagon. It was stuffed with turnips, onions, cheese and beef. Flagons of finest wines from the Arbor of Old Town were waiting in the King’s dais. Lost among different dishes and cakes. Seven dishes and seven desserts were served, to honor the Seven Gods. Another seven and seven courses was the other day and another seven and seven for the morrow. All the while along the wedding until it became seventy seven courses.

Baekhyun was no stranger for feast. He could get whatever food he wished to eat. But as he came to the dais and sat on his seat, he couldn’t help but drooling over the dishes served, all warm and freshly cooked. He grabbed a half chicken roasted with honey and tear the meat, the grease rolled down his fingers, which he licked off after he put the chicken down and started to slowly chew.

“Baekhyun” The King called from the end of the dais, Baekhyun turned his head to look at him, a piece of smoked beef rib charred almost black was half eaten on his golden plate.

“Meet my old friend, Park Sungjin and his family.”

He didn’t realize them before, unfamiliar faces around him. Now he did. Pale blue eyes and grey cloaks with ornament of a dire wolf on it. This is the Lord he had heard of but never once met. _The Parks. The Northmen._

“This is my son, Baekbeom, you have seen him twice,” the King started introducing them. Baekbeom politely smiled at everyone on the table, went even as far as raising his cup of wine for a cheer.

“I remember you, Your Grace,” Lord Park Sungjin replied. He has a pair of palest blue eyes, almost grey. Chill would just run down your spine when you look at them, and Baekhyun now knew where that wolf man got it from. Only, Park Sungjin’s hair was brown instead of red. “I saw you when you were still a baby on your mother’s arms. You are now a man grown up. You have crown on your head and throne under your legs waiting for you.”

He seemed cold, Baekhyun realized. But not without courtesy. He was what noble lord must look like. Thin smile adorned the hard features and sunken cheeks on his face.

“And this is my second son, Baekhyun.”

Some words of courtesy had been on the tips of Baekhyun’s tongue. They died the moment Lord Park landed his eyes on him. That pale blue eyes examine him for a quiet long moment, without blinking.

“You look like your mother,” he said at last. And Baekhyun could only offer a lame “You are too kind, My Lord.”

“Your mother and I had been a good friend as well as your father. You have her look, her eyes, her hair… even her smile.”

“I- I don’t remember, My Lord.” _I wasn’t old enough to keep her face in my memory. Or was it because it had been too long?_ Baekhyun was four when his Lady Mother died and he couldn’t recall a thing except her warmth and her soft voice calling his name.

“You shall meet my family too.” As if to sense Baekhyun’s uneasiness, Lord Sungjin changed the subject. He motion to a girl closest to him, devouring a whole chicken on her plate when his father put a hand on her back. “This is my daughter, Park Dahyun.”

She was a little girl of ten or eleven, with auburn hair barely touched her shoulders. She had a pair of kind eyes, pretty blue and made two crescents every time she smile, a smile so wide and beautiful. When she said she was in love with the chicken and lemon cake there, Baekhyun thought he would love her as well.

Next to Park Dahyun was Park Chaeyoung, another daughter, and older. She was a maiden. Slim, pretty tall, with curly auburn hair that reached her back and shy smile. Dahyun was pretty… but Chaeyoung was beautiful, everyone would agree. Her soft blue eyes, rosy cheeks and full lips were no of lies. Chaeyoung didn’t talk as much as Dahyun did, nor did she eat like her life depended on it. A lady didn’t do such ungraceful act, the Septa would say.

“Do you like to ride pony like Dahyun does, or do you like needle more?” Baekhyun asked.

The girl blushed and answered later with a timid “Needle.”

The last from the Parks children was Park Dayoung. A kid no older than six. Even so he was tall for his age.

“I am Park Dayoung, from my ancestor name, Dayoung The First King and Dayoung The Savior!” He told Baekhyun proudly.

“That’s great. I’m sure you will be Dayoung The Great too when you are older later!”

“I will be Dayoung, The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard! Chanyeol said only the finest Knight could be the Kingsguard and the finest among them will be the Lord Commander. I will be one. I am good with sword!”

 “A wooden short stick, you mean?” Dahyun interrupted, which Dayoung soon lashed with half a glare and half a whine. “I am so not!”

“Yes you are!”

“No, it’s not! I will use real sword soon! Chanyeol promised!”

“Chanyeol had to lie because you cried!”

“I didn’t!”

“Yes you did!”

It was a childish fight that soon ended when both the youngest of House Park recognized the warning look sent along with clearing throat from their Lord Father. Sullenly, they went back to eating their meal while Baekhyun couldn’t erase the smile from his face.

Still, Baekhyun felt like something was missing. He craned his neck and swiped his gaze around through the crowd and the clattering of plates and glasses. He couldn’t see him anywhere.

“Is there anything you are expecting, Son?” Came a soft voice, from a soft-smiled woman sitting next to Dayoung. _Lady Park._ Her look was on her daughters, beautiful and soft. Yet her hair none had it… her hair was red, kissed by the fire. None had it but that Knight of Wolf.

“Ah… No. Nothing.”

And he wasn’t here. That man, with grey cloak and blue cold eyes staring into his emerald ones Baekhyun couldn’t brush away from his mind wasn’t there.

 

***

 

_It was his turn again._

Jongdae came running, fetching him a new set of arrows. It was of steel, lighter than iron and each arrow was fetched with white goose feathers with two green strips. Baekhyun took one in his right hand, his bow in his left as he strode toward his place. A long rope had been stood across the yard from one end to another. Baekhyun stood behind the rope and starts to pull his bowstring with his arrow, his eyes squinted for focus.

The tourney had been started by archery. Baekhyun was one amongst the archers, from lad to old man hoping to bring two hundred thousands gold home. Some only tried their luck and were hopeless, Baekhyun observed. But many were good archers as well. Before long, the hundreds of number had been narrowed into eight. And then three. And Baekhyun was there with the other top two.

He came for the last round.

The string was taut as he drew it while aiming to the far object. It was farther than the last. And much farther than the start.

_I must win. For the love of my father, I must win._

For his father, he breathes. All for his father. To show him that he can be that son his father could be proud of too. Not only Baekbeom. His beloved son was not only Baekbeom.

For his father.

But a shadow flashed in his mind. Taller than father, slimmer… with grey cloak, blue eyes, and red… red hair, kissed by the fire. His last words were still ringing in Baekhyun’s ears.

On the first light, the King had said. And the light didn’t show its color yet except faintly. The air was chill and moist, white fog was like a thin blanket wrapping the air. Although King’s Landing was in the south with its warm weather, still, it was still dawn and every living creature was still asleep in their bed. Everything but two figures moving about in the dim light, the sound of their heels was soft and their hushed whisper was faint. It still could be heard clearly in the empty yard, though.

 _“_ Seven save me!” Jongdae cursed under his breathe, rubbing the goosebumps prickled on his exposed skin. _“_ Your Highness, it is too early! What are you doing? _”_

“Just be silent and fetch me my Nym babes.”

Shivering, Jongdae muttered some incoherent protests yet walked back to the grass where he fetched Baekhyun a new set of arrows Baekhyun had requested. Nym, he named his bow, his ever lover, and the arrows were their babes.

He took his seat on the grass while watching Baekhyun put his arrow onto position on his bow, he focused for a while before shooting it lose. The arrow pierced through the head of human hay, along with six or seven other arrows. Earlier on, he woke up and became panic for he the lost presence of his sire in his bedchamber. Jongdae in all his haste had searched in every corner of the Queen’s tower for no result, he would even look for him in all the complex of Maegor Holdfast. Until he had his eyes on the yard below and found a figure, a familiar tiny figure. Baekhyun had been practicing that early, to his not so surprise.

Jongdae yawned. The Red Keep was still dark, the sun not yet showing himself except for the bright yellow and red spread in the sky. Baekhyun took the second arrow from his new set.

“Aren’t you tired? Seven hells, Baek! It’s too early even for pig to wake up!”

“I am no pig.”

“You eat like one,” Jongdae replied in a low mutter, so soft no one almost could hear it.

At that, Baekhyun loosened the bowstring he had pulled, only to glare to Jongdae. “Have you ever got an arrow through your thick skull?”

“No. But thank you, I don’t need that, Your Highness. You are too kind.” He replied, mimicking courtesy.

For some lordlings, that could be rude. But Baekhyun found it funny he giggled. For him, Jongdae was no squire. He was his brother, his good friend. They would like to jape and ignored titles between them when no one else around.

“You really sure want to join the Archery today?” Jongdae asked once Baekhyun had done with his series of giggle like a shy maiden. “I mean, come on, Baek. You are the son of the King! If you win, you’ll get the two hundred thousand gold dragons. What would people say?”

“Let the crows call the ravens black, Jongdae,” he squinted, then let loose. “I want to show my father that I can too, that I’m good enough to be his son. And… I will save his two hundred thousand gold dragons anyway.”

“Wow how brave that sounds! Should I write a song for you now?” Jongdae said, sarcastically of course.

“Do you really want this arrow in your head, huh?!”

“ _My brave son… he went to the battle with sword in hand… he went in the night and called himself a knight…”_ Jongdae clutched his chest, singing loudly and wholeheartedly to the song ‘My brave son’ only to mock Baekhyun even more.

“Bugger you!”

Baekhyun stomped his feet and Jongdae laughed so hard and loud a bug went into his mouth.

By the time Baekhyun emptied his set of arrow and stuffed the straw’s face with them, Baekhyun stretched. The sun had been peeking in the east horizon, almost getting into full round. Baekhyun smacked Jongdae on the shoulder.

“I feel tired and suffocated here. Let’s go around the King’s Landing!”

“What— Baekhyun, the tourney will start soon! And we can’t wake Minho up for this! I saw him drunk on the feast last night—“

A slender finger put Jongdae’s puke of words to its end as he pressed it on the squire’s thin lips.

“That’s why we need to go now before Minho, or anyone from Kingsguard woke up!”

“Baekhyun—“ Jongdae stared at his prince with disbelief. Has been risen as the son of the most loyal bannerman of House Byun, Jongdae admired the little prince for long, and when he was offered the job as his squire, Jongdae couldn’t be any happier. It had been five years now, and the thought of leaving Baekhyun to earn himself a Knight title somehow sadden him. Well, not at this moment. “You’re impossible. What if your father’s foe wants to kill you?! Or they can kidnap you for gold! Or- Or- Someone out there might hack your pretty head off for a flagon of ale! And that’s not what I’m likely to worry about! Because if the Seven Kingdoms ever saw your head on top of a spike, mine would be there first and I am still unmarried, Baekhyun! Bugger you!”

 

“Unmarried but doesn’t mean virgin,” Baekhyun waved casually, his eyes gleaming with tease as he saw all the blood rush to Jongdae’s cheeks. He leaned closer. “How was that kitchen girl? Was she tight?”

“I- I don’t know what you mean!”

“Amy. I mean Amy, that girl who smells like pie and has brown hair. You can’t fool me, Jongdae!”

“What about yourself, though?”

“Huh?” Baekhyun soon stuttered and Jongdae grin his wide grin, spreading across from ear to ear. The flipped the table in a matter of second.

“I mean, really, Byun Baekhyun?! You are 19 now and still haven’t had a taste of women. How poor…”

“Shut up! I’m not like you!”

All flustered, not wanted to be shamed further, Baekhyun strode to the stable where his white mare stood. The beautiful creature made a sound and kicked her stall upon Baekhyun’s arrival. He reached his hand out to pat her head and brush her mane, the mare leaned closer to his touch as Baekhyun chuckled. He didn’t he would ever take a fond of her own kind of animal. Baekhyun had been scared of horses as strong as he was scared of heights and blood. By the age of ten, he couldn’t make up more excuse not to take riding lesson when his Master and Master at arm brought him a pony, he was brown and his mane were chocolate color. Baekhyun liked him enough to finally able to ride a pony. But when his thirteenth name day was coming, though Baekhyun was small enough in build, his Master at arm told him he couldn’t ride a pony forever. They gave him horses. Variant horses, small and big, mare and stallion, all different color he could choose whichever he liked. He didn’t like any of them, though.

Until Baekbeom gave the white mare for his fourteenth name day and Sora stole Baekhyun’s breath away. She was beautiful. And she was one of Baekhyun’s truest friends now, beside Jongdae.

Baekhyun untied her without waking up the stable boy who was sleeping in the stable and led her to the yard, meeting Jongdae half the way.

“You are serious?!”

“Hmm. More than serious. Come on, follow me quick or you’ll let me enjoy the city alone.” Baekhyun said, hoping onto the saddle by himself.

At that, Jongdae left with no choice but to run to the stable and fetch his own horse, a dark grey one mare, slightly bigger than Sora. Baekhyun gave his sweet mare a soft kick on the back before Jongdae could get to him and she draped toward the gates.

“Byun Baekhyun, you are really a sore in the arse,” Jongdae whined as he tried to follow behind and Baekhyun could only laugh.

Deciding to tour around the city proved to be wasn’t really a bad choice. Under the sun the city stinks, they said, and within the night the city moist. Little did they know it was still fresh in the morning, birds chirping and flying from one tower to another Baekhyun led his mare down the Kingsroad toward the River Gate, the common called it Mud Gate. The gate was rare of use, the guests often come and go through the King’s Gate near the tourney ground or the Dragon Gate. One use this gate only to go to and come back from the Reach or Blackwater, as it led to rose road.

If not for his constant fear from time to time that the Kingsguard would be looking for them now, Jongdae could have fully appreciate the view. Houses and buildings were lessened as they strode the Kingsroad. The huge wooden double gates could be seen from afar, chains as huge as fist locked it. There was a post by the gate, held by a couple of City Watch. To their left was small river and to their right was muddy land. Flowers were blooming in all colors but Baekhyun knew one should be careful with such place. A lion-lizard might hid between the plants, or floated in the river like a dead log but open its mouth within a blink of eyes should its prey was near. There was also dead sand, waiting for anyone careless enough to step on them to suck them into the sand. Even those flowers that bloomed with pretty colors, purple and yellow could be poisonous.

Baekhyun rode his mare to the riverbank, he hopped off to the soft ground and walked down slowly, hand clutching the tie of his horse. From there, there was a wide few of the calm river, it glimmered slightly under the rays of the newborn sun, orange and pink upon greenish water. Further were islands, hills and mountains with the color of green and misty blue behind the layer of fog. It was beautiful. He spent his childhood here. He looked to his front, beyond the river, beyond the woods. His father told him about the war in the Trident. About how his grandfather and his uncles died there. A tragic tale for such peaceful place.

Jongdae followed and walked by his side.

“Yah Byun Baekhyun. Have you ever thought to be a king?”

Baekhyun looked to his side with the look of ‘are you pulling a jape?’ but then again, he knew Jongdae didn’t. He was the second prince. _I am the second prince, the next after the crown prince._ Baekhyun slowed his steps until he totally stopped. He looked up at the blue and grey sky.

“Why would I? My father is still healthy and fit. He is still young too. And then there is my brother.”

 _But everything might happen should a war ever come again._ The last sentence he left on the tip of his tongue, too scared if he say it, it would come true.

“I expected that answer from you!” Jongdae shrugged, casually. “To be a king, you also need a queen and a crown prince and princes. Have you ever thought about marriage then?”

Baekhyun choked and Jongdae laughed his remarkably super loud laugh. “Gods be good! You are still thinking like a child!”

Baekhyun grumbled. He squatted down to pick a rock and threw it Jongdae’s way. Too bad, that man was getting good at dodging.

“Let’s get back now before Minho or anyone found us.”

“Jongdae, we just arrived here and the morning is still- what’s that?” his eyes wandered.

“What?” Jongdae gave him confused look.

Baekhyun didn’t answer but instead perking his ears to hear more. And there he heard them again. A howl? This time, Jongdae heard that too and for a moment they share the same look on their face.

“Is that animal?”

“More reason we should get back now—“

“I want to see.”

As Jongdae have predicted, the young prince wouldn’t spare a thought about his good counsel and went straight ahead. Baekhyun rode his horse through the woods, a thin woods on the east side of the gate. There were willow trees and pines, they weren’t thick, and soon enough, Baekhyun had arrived another grassy area which ended at the water.

The howl came once again, with much clearer sound, so much fiercer. And Baekhyun saw it. Red eyes, thick fur the color of ash, just a shade lighter, almost white as snow. He was at least four feet tall standing on his four legs. A wolf almost as huge as stallion that it made Baekhyun’s breath hitched in his throat.

_A dire wolf._

Sora whined at the present of the beast. She kicked her front legs and Baekhyun out of panic, held tight on her. It wasn’t enough, though. In no time, he was falling.

He was falling yet he didn’t touch the ground. In its place, someone held him in his arms. And their eyes met once again. Baekhyun’s emerald meeting a pair of cold blue eyes...  and red hair, kissed by the fire.

The man soon released him to stand on his own. And that was when the beast decided to waddle to them, happily, with its tail waving. Baekhyun took a shaky step back, only to have his knees weaken and he fell on his butt. But he didn’t even have time to groan, for the fear watching those sharp red eyes and huge fangs.

The beast leaped to the Park and he patted his fur.

“He doesn’t bite. Not without my consent,” the man said. His deep voice had taken Baekhyun aback.

“How would you know he won’t?!” He answered instead, mentally cursing himself for the fear in his tone. _And where in the seven hell is Jongdae?! I’m so not going to die alone, tore of by a wolf._

“He could tear your neck off, if he wants,” he said, not helping at all. “But what for? He could look for his prey with sweeter meat and actually runs when he chases. Cloud likes to haunt.”

“Cloud?”

“His name.”

Baekhyun ignored that, and tried to ignored the beast just few feet away from him as he stood up and reach for his saddle. He tried to get on it in all haste, twice, but to no avail. He almost could swear he heard a snicker behind him.

But before he could turn around and check if it was true, his body had already been left to the air and he was seated on his mare.

“Yah! Yah! What are you doing?! You can’t do this to a prince?!” He shrieked out of panic and he held Sora’s tight on her mane for dear life after.

The man only chuckled a little, briefly, as if he never laughed in the first place. A faint smile was still on his lips as he leaned closer, eyes locked to Baekhyun’s as if to inspect him.

“Have someone ever told you that you look like maids?”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened. “D-“

“The most beautiful one a man could ever lay eyes upon.”

 _That was an insult_ , Baekhyun told himself. But he still couldn’t avoid his blood to rush up his cheeks. In its stead, he dared not look at the man. He raked his eyes to everything but him. When he saw Jongdae coming closer, he couldn’t be more relief.

He was about to kick Sora on the back with his boots to run away when the man tugged her rein and held him in place.

“Let me be your champion today.”

 _Champion._ Knights used to ask for Ladies’ favor to tie about their lance. For luck. For honor.

“I am no lady,” he replied simply.

Yet Baekhyun didn’t move. Couldn’t. Park Chanyeol held him by eyes. Baekhyun slowly lowered his gaze and removed the bracelet he wore. It was silver chains with jade the shape of heart as its lion tin. It was from his mother.

Baekhyun took the knight by hand and clasped the bracelet around his wrist. He held his blue eyes once again, then without uttering another word, he rode off.

His luck. His favor.

_Let loose._

Baekhyun saw the flash of the feather of his arrow, lurching to quick forward. Then it was already there, went right through the previous arrow to bury half of itself in the middle of the black round in the target board.

Then loud cheers were too deafening for him to hear.

He won. He smiled to himself. _He won._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave feedback XD


	3. CHANYEOL

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm sorry if the story goes slow and if there are a lot of mistakes. I'm honestly looking for beta-reader who actually reads GOT to avoid further mistakes.  
> And I am going to post Chapter Five on AFF, just in case anyone wants to check.

 

Park Chanyeol first saw him in King’s Landing, before the tourney wedding of Prince Baekbeom. His father received the invitation by a raven early that morning. He was attending his father in his solar, getting ready for the court when Maester Jungsoo came. The letter was sealed with golden wax and the lion of House Byun. _Royal letter,_ he thought as he saw it himself.

“There was a letter from the King’s Landing this morning, My Lord.” He bowed. “I thought you would want to know at once.”

The news about the royal wedding and the invitation soon spread all across Winterfell. From the stable boys until the washerwomen and kitchen girls there were no days without them talking about it. The girls would let out dreamy sighs while the boys boasting that they have ever seen the King once, or they have family in King’s Landing, the land none of them ever set foot on yet.

His Lord Father, Park Sungjin had gathered all his children in a dinner that night, commanded that no one to leave the table after they finished eating.

“We all will go to the King’s Landing in a fortnight.” Lord Sungjin said. “Prepare yourself.”

Dahyun and Dayoung made a loud gasps, Chaeyoung covered her mouth.

“You mean, we will see the King?!” Dahyun beamed.

“And the crown prince?!” Chaeyoung seemed just as excited.

And of course, Dayoung who peeked at their father hopefully whilst was petting a grey direwolf they called Sunny from under the table. They have a couple of direwolf in Winterfell, a light grey one that it almost white Chanyeol named Cloud, and the other was two shades darker, Sunny, not for the color of her fur but for her hyperactive self and fond of everything warm. “Will I finally get to see the kingsguard?”

“Yes,” It was their lady mother who answered ever so softly, her hand caressing Dayoung’s soft auburn hair. His lady mother had red hair, his lord father dark brown, and yet all their children got auburn hair. Every one of them but him with his fiery red locks.

To fulfill the King’s invitation, Chanyeol wasn’t as hopeful as his brother and sisters. He was born and grew up here. He learned his first sword here with his master-at-arm and his son, Kris. He found Cloud and Sunny here as pups when he was still Dahyun’s age… Winterfell was his home and so much more, and the prospect of leaving home for the warmth of green lands didn’t sit well enough with him.

 _It’s just for a while, for a moonturn and that will be all. After the wedding, we will be back,_ he thought the day they left for King’s Landing.

They rode for a fortnight and many more days down the Kingsroad, through the hills of the Vale and crossed the bridge of the Trident. His lady mother, little sisters and little brother moved in a wheelhouse while he rode his stallion behind his lord father. Kris, the son of his master-at-arms, a lad two namedays older than him, ( _a man grown up_ now, he realized) was mostly his companion. They grew up together like brothers, and with their a head over six feet tall posture, they hovered over everyone, even Ser Wu, Kris’ father.

The journey was long, longest Chanyeol had ever taken, and wasn’t always pleasant. Sometimes they would stop by a castle and feasted upon the table of the Lord who invited them. They would linger for a night and never longer. Most of nights they spend in the camps along the road, in the hills and in the woods. At those nights, Kris would be gone more often than not and Chanyeol would only have Cloud at his company, the wolf liked to curl around him with his huge body and warm fur. Then Kris would come back before dawn, mischievous smile was almost always on his lips. Chanyeol didn’t even want to ask where he had been.

“You should come with me sometimes to the back camp,” Kris would say. “There’s no better way to spend a night rather than in the warmth of woman’s touch.”

 _Sure,_ Chanyeol had the urge to ignore him. That, or poked his head with Phoenix. Unconsciously, Chanyeol touched his right hips to feel the hilt of Phoenix, his sword. A sword so fine, his master-at-arm said, Valyrian steel, long and slim, swiftly when it moved and shone red under the sunlight. Like a fiery steel. Chanyeol named it Phoenix.

“Which woman, do you mean?” He asked instead. Their horses moved side by side not so fast and not so slow.

“Does it matter?” Kris smirked. “In the dark all their faces look the same. It’s their cunts that matter.”

Chanyeol didn’t reply. He simply wasn’t interested with Kris’ plays. His lord father and lady mother wedded under the heart tree, upon the watchful eyes of the Gods, the Old Gods. And he too, would wed his bride in front of the carved face in their weirwoods and said his vow, he would love and touched only her. Until that time, he just wanted to make himself a better knight.

Yes, he was a knight now.  Ser Jung Yunho the Fierce Bear from Bear Island where he was fostered at had made him. One of finest knights in all Westeros, he was.

They arrived just a day before the tourney. A half dozen of City Watch escorted their companion from the King Gate to Red Keep. Many of their knights gape to finally see the palace. It was bigger than Winterfell, Chanyeol though. But he also heard that Harrenhall was ten times bigger.

They were given place in the Hand’s tower since the Hand preferred to stay in his own manse just the north of the palace. It was midday when they were given meals and the King’s steward showed them their own bedchambers. He was an old man of five and fifty, but very sure on his tasks. He was also very courteous to attend their wants.  Dayoung didn’t expect to get his own bedchamber too he practically jumped up and down. And before nighfall, the Crown Prince was so kind to invite them dinner, or more likely a feast, judging from how many dishes and courses were served. Baekbeom sincerely apologized that the king couldn’t greet them just yet since His Highness had a court and other guests to attend. He also mentioned that the King had wanted to meet his lord father at once, so Lord Park Sungjin left the first light of the day. That left Chanyeol with loud chattering between his little siblings in the breakfast table, excited to see the wonders of the crowded city.

Chanyeol didn’t like it even since he set foot behind the city walls.  It stank. Of sweat and shit. Of lies and queer from the south-ron. This land was weird as well as it was new to him.

After breakfast, Chanyeol met Kris in the yard. _Ser Kris,_ he would like to be called, his pride was taller than his height. The man was clad in mail and plate with blunt end longs sword in hand, practicing with a guardsman when he spotted Chanyeol. He opened the slid of his helm and greeted him with his remarkable smirk.

“Young Wolf,” he called and threw Chanyeol a dull sword.

“The helm and the armor are there,” said he, pointing with his chin toward a squire who just emerged from armory chamber, his arms were heavy with the armors and swords he brought.

Chanyeol saw, and ignored it. He understood what it was all about, it was almost their morning routine, practicing. He grabbed the sword and the shield and came bare to Kris. His red hair slightly swayed by the wind.

“You flatter yourself too much, Yeol.” He can hear the snicker in Kris’ voice. “Don’t want to get one rib broken or two, do we?”

“Aye, then you should make sure your armor is done properly.”

Kris’s answer came in him rushing to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol took a step backward and met the charge with his shield. The force of the blow staggered him for a moment, sending a jolt up his arm. Kris was strong and his blows always accurate, and he forgot Kris had been practicing for awhile now. The man was ready. Whilst he was just starting to get warm, he reminded himself.

When Kris charged him another blow to his side, Chanyeol was quick to spin around and slammed his blade alongside Kris’ head. Hard. But wasn’t hard enough to knock Kris off his feet. They circled round each other, trading blow after blow. Without the heavy iron of armors and helm, Chanyeol could move faster, swifter. He was almost dancing. His attack was twice Kris’.  But the risk of getting hit was another story.

The impact of Kris’s blow through his arm just now sent solid jolt up his body. _The bruise wouldn’t be faded for two nights_ , he thought as he blocked another charge with his shield. If not for the shield, he would have his ribs broken for real. But Chanyeol ignored the pain in his right shoulder and slammed his blade hard through Kris’ undefended arm, which was able to be blocked by the man. Unfornately, he wasn’t quick enough to block the smash Chanyeol aimed for his lower body. Chanyeol spun and cut him on the back of his thigh to send him on one knee. When he looked up, a sword point already by his throat.

They both panted and Kris threw his helm aside.

“I wouldn’t let you win next time, Yeol.”

“That’s what you always told me.”

Chanyeol eyed Kris as that friend of his laying his body on the ground without care, his arms beneath his head. He sat down next to him.

 “I signed you up,” Kris said, breaking the chill in the air.

“What?”

“The tourney. We both will ride there. The price is fantastic, Yeol. Two hundred thousand gold dragons!”

“I’m not interested.”

Kris groaned. “You are such sore arse. A cunt! This is our chance whilst we are in the South. Might as well visit the most expensive brothel here after we won the gold.”

 _True,_ Chanyeol thought. The previous sentence, not the last. In the North, a tourney wasn’t a common thing. Northmen didn’t do a tourney.  Their ancestors were mountains clan. They are thirsty for real battle, real war, not a blunt point of lance.

Chanyeol couldn’t protest much. Kris always had a way to get what he wants, and that included not only women.  By the time the sun was half way up onto its highest place, they already changed clothes and rode side by side to the tourney.

Kris wore a new doublet, Chanyeol noted, didn’t know where he got that from. His cloak was dark blue of the night with stars all around a twin crescent moons. He was a Wu still, a lesser lord from the Moat Callin. His own was simpler, grey and black, the color of Park, with the direwolf head on his shoulder. The beast, Cloud rode by his side. The presence of the beast was helpful on Chanyeol’s side and terrifying in the common’s. People shushed and gave them way without him trying. Their eyes glued to the animal in fear while trying to grip on their children not to get closer.

 _Cloud wouldn’t bite, though,_ Chanyeol sighed. At least not if that person didn’t give him a reason too.

A little girl, however, stumbled out of the crowd. She was Dayoung’s age, Chanyeol concluded at once when he saw her. She was shorter, with dirty brown hair. Her clothes were a rag of wool with ugly faded color of green. But there was no such little nor ugly about her smile or her curious big eyes. She reached her hand out as if to touch Cloud, but she looked at Chanyeol and he saw doubt as well as fear in her eyes.

Chanyeol climbed down his horse and squatted down before her. The girl took a slight step back but didn’t move further, letting Chanyeol’s pair of pale blue eyes scrutinizing her. Finally, he spoke up. “What’s your name?” He said, trying to be as soft as he could, which he wasn’t best at. He didn’t know why Dayoung liked clinging to him.

“Gayoung… My name is Gayoung, m’lord.”

“Beautiful name for a beautiful lady.” That, and his awkward half smile seemed to work. Chanyeol could see the girl smiled again.  He looked at Cloud and gestured him to come closer, which the beast soon obeyed.

“Do you want to touch him?”

“A-am I allowed, m’lord?”

“Yeah. Don’t be scared. He doesn’t bite.”

Gayoung buried her small hand in the surface of the direwolf’s thick soft fur then. Hesitate for a moment, but when the direwolf just leaned into her touch, she seemed to relax. A wide grin spread across her lips.

“He is nice!”

Chanyeol smiled. Only when there was a shout calling Gayoung’s name, did the girl treated back. Then a man with built muscles shoved the girl behind his back protectively.

“What are you doing?! That’s a beast!” He scolded her.

“I’m sorry, father…”

The man looked at Chanyeol and bowed his head. “Pardon my child, m’lord. She’s just a little girl and knows nothing.”

Chanyeol did have a mind to assure him that it was fine but held it back as the crowd pressed around them,  the smallfolks made way for a litter to come across without anything on its way. There were a dozen of City Watch, guardmen and even a white cloak of Kingsguard in the companion. _It must be some royal litter._

The crowd pressed further on and soon Chanyeol found himself standing behind Gayoung and a small woman. The little girl was put on his father’s shoulders just in time Chanyeol saw the litter covered by yellow silk from the corner of his eyes. _Whoever is inside, it makes no matter_. Chanyeol didn’t care.

But then he saw him. His thin red lips spread into easy smile that shone so bright it put the sun into shame. His laughing eyes as green as emerald. His white-blonde hair reflecting the sunrays. And so did his flawless skin.

He was so beautiful that for a moment, Chanyeol felt the air was leaving his lungs.

Chanyeol didn’t know what it was. But he couldn’t take his eyes off the prince. Even when the litter already gone by his sight.

 

***

 

The final jousting was narrowed into four knights. And then two. And Chanyeol caught himself being the one to the final, along with Oh Sehun after he drove his lance to the Lord Coammander of the Kingsguard, Shim Changmin. The comical sight of how he stumbled off his horse seemed to amuse the common and the lords, even the king himself. Needed two lances from Chanyeol’s squire and three from Changmin’s. And the common howled in laughter and screamed when Changmin fell off his horse, rolled on the mud and broke the teeth on his helm. Yoo Jaesuk, the Master of Law made a loud jape about toothless tiger, which answered by Changmin with throwing his lance on the man’s direction and his laughter died right away, replaced by another series of boisterous laughter for different subject.

Whilst Kris had been unhorsed by his second joust, Chanyeol didn’t expect himself to go this far.

 _Maybe it was the charm of my favor._ And he muse his mind by recalling the events that morning.

 He watched Baekhyun earlier, the Prince who made him his champion, the Prince Chanyeol seems unable to take his eyes off, nor his mind from. With bow in his hand, Prince Baekhyun shot so precisely to the target. It was almost unmerciful.

 _Yet he was still beautiful._ The way the morning rays fall on his golden locks, making it almost white. And the smile grazing his lips after he won worth more than two hundred thousand gold dragons.

Chanyeol touched the jade of the silver chained bracelet on his wrist just under the sleeve of his robe. It felt weird to have such a jewelry but not exactly uncomfortable.

_And it was the favor from the Prince._

He was assigned to the second joust. The first joust won by Sehun from House Oh against the Ser Siwon, a knight from Vale with intense battle. Chanyeol saw many lords cheered, and some other had sour look on their face. _It must be they lost the wager._

Chanyeol wondered, whose side they took now? To whom they wager they golden coins for. His foe now was Oh Sehun, the second heir to the Storm’s End. All the highborn ladies seem to clutch their silky dress when he passed them as he rode along the battlement and plucked some roses to some pretty maidens. It was no wonder, Oh Sehun was tall but no taller than him. He seemed so young, probably younger than Chanyeol yet he was well built, his shoulders were broad with thick enough muscles on his arms.

 _It’s just the armor,_ Chanyeol said to himself. And this wasn’t sword play. Jousting was another story, he realized as soon as he came into few battles yesterday. It was about how smooth he can swift, about techniques and tricks. A little honor to tricks, but not uncommon.

He donned his helm and swung the heel of his boots to the back of his stallion and the black mare horse draped forward as Chanyeol caught its rein. Sehun was already in his way rushing to Chanyeol. His first charge was blocked easily by the North lad who spun around, yet Sehun was on him again, if it wasn’t for his shield, the lance would have strike to his arm.

 _He was quick,_ Chanyeol realized in dismay. This lad wasn’t that strong on his force. But he had skill to take his foe unaware.

One more blow and it sent Chanyeol’s horse stumbling back, he clutched the rein to find back his balance. Luckily he did. Once he was stable on the saddle, he touched the bracelet under his sleeve. _The favor._

Chanyeol charged back, trying to find his weakness. _I need to be quicker than he is,_ he thought. One time, they both charged, it ended by both of their lances broken on each other’s shield. While waiting for his squire to fetch a new lance, Chanyeol stole a glance at the royal dais, and he found him. His golden locks still looked soft under a small crown on his head. His eyes as bright as gem looking at him with what Chanyeol hoping was hope. Was him wanting Chanyeol to win. For he was his champion.

 _You must win,_ his eyes seemed to be telling so.

And after Chanyeol got his lance back, Sehun already got his as well. The young lad then kicked his horse trying to initiate a charge again. But who would suspect Chanyeol would be already there before him with lance straight up his chest. He spun a little to avoid thee impact but Chanyeol’s lance was already on his unshielded waist, with force ferocious enough to send him off his horse.

The common gasped, there was a moment of silent before all of them erupted into a loud cheers.

He glanced up toward the prince again. Their eyes met. He found a faint smile painted on his pink lips and somehow, Chanyeol couldn’t look away.

 

***

 

The orange sun was almost sucked by the rank of mountain far across the river when Chanyeol smelled his presence. The wind that blew from the west sent him news about his coming.

Chanyeol smiled. Before long, Cloud had emerged from the bushes. The tip of muzzle was still red on the almost white fur and the smell of fresh blood could be smelled when he paddled his way toward Chanyeol. The latter patted his head and the beast let out a soft growl.

“What did you have for today?” He caresses behind his fur. Cloud just look at him before he tried to nuzzle his bloody mouth on Chanyeol’s robe which Chanyeol soon reacted by scooting backward and put his palm in front of the huge wolf. Chanyeol was oft quiet, unlike Sunny he liked to hide himself and walked in silence. But also unlike Sunny who was tamer, Cloud was a hard one to predict. One time he would look bored and the other time he could be playful like a boy he was.

The direwolf licked the blood on his mouth and fur then before turned his back on Chanyeol.  He walked around for some time before his ears seem to pick up. In no time, he had already been running back into the woods.

“Are you going to leave me?!”

But Cloud had long gone by then. _Hunting._ He must have smelled his new prey. The beast used to hunt in the godswood back in Winterfell, sometimes went further beyond Winterfell’s outer walls. Of late, he wouldn’t come until dawn, or he would only come when he likes it. In King’s Landing, though, Cloud’s hunting range had been limited. Chanyeol must keep him in his watch as the beast might frighten the common folk, even the guards and City Watch. But Chanyeol had no choice but to let him go now. The direwolf had a mind of his own and Chanyeol knew he wouldn’t go too long.

The breeze blew his red hair.  The sun almost set down and yet there was no hint of his presence. He whose smile was brighter than the sun Chanyeol was seeing.

 _He will not come,_ Chanyeol realized. He was a prince, the second heir to the seven kingdoms. Why would he come for the likes of Chanyeol?

This early in the morning, Chanyeol had ordered his squire Haechan to bring his letter to Prince Baekhyun.

“Make sure he receives it himself. Don’t give it to the guards, not even his squire. And make sure no one saw you.” He had said. And the shy young lad only nodded and hurried his steps to the Prince’s chamber.

Chanyeol plucked on a grass

‘ _Come on the morrow,”_ he had said in his letter, _‘when the wind blows from south at the land you met cloud.”_

He couldn’t risk it. He had to make it only Baekhyun that would know the meaning. If the kingsguard find out about it… or anyone, he would be as good as dead. What was he even thinking when he wrote it?

Just as Chanyeol nourishing his faded hope, there was a faint sound of the grass behind him. He felt a presence and his heart drummed on his ears. _It can’t be Cloud._

He was wearing crimson silk today with high velvet collar under the cloak of his house. Twin lions were embroidered on the breast of his tunic. Under the orange light of the sunset, he looked even lovelier than he should be allowed to. Prince Baekhyun climbed off his mare ever so elegantly. He was coming alone, as Chanyeol belatedly took note.

“I thought you wouldn’t come,” Chanyeol said.

The Prince walked closer to him cautiously and stopped a couple of feet away. Not too far, not too close.

“What do you want of me, Ser?”

The answer didn’t come right away. Chanyeol patted soft ankle high grass beside him, which the Prince later reluctantly sat on. They sat in silence, watching the big red sun was swallowed inch by inch.

It wasn’t unpleasant, somehow it was comforting and Chanyeol had no idea why. He wasn’t used to be around a stranger. Though those eyes could manage to make him feel as if he was in Winterfell again.

The sun almost completely gone when Chanyeol pulled out the bracelet. In his palm was heart-shaped jade stone with silver chain.

 “Your favor,” he said. “I won the tourney. I should have made you my Queen of Beauty.”

“I am no queen-“

“Still beauty.”

Chanyeol saw red tinted the soft-looking cheeks. It made him chuckle, and had a strange urge to just pinch him, feel his cheeks, caress the milky skin with his calloused hand. Just to know if they were as soft as they look.

Before his mind got back to his sense, he already did exactly that. His fingers trembled upon the soft blushing skin. And the Prince’s eyes trembled beneath his. They looked at each other for the longest time, for the closest it had been. For a minute that fell like all his life.

When Chanyeol pulled his hand away, guilty of what he was doing, Cloud announced his coming rather noisily, for his record. His muzzle was redder than last time as fresh blood dripped from it and the neck of his prey still hung on his fangs.

Baekhyun squeaked out of surprise and clutched onto Chanyeol in instant. The force sent them both to stumble onto the grass. Chanyeol had his elbow supporting his body or else he would crush the prince. Their face were close, causing their breathe to be mixed. And their lips… their lips just inches away.

Chanyeol’s stomach suddenly coiled in desire. To feel those thin cherry lips. It looked even softer than his cheeks. Instead, he stood up and helped the prince to his feet.

“I- I need to go. You can… you must save the favor. It’s a command.”

Chanyeol smiled. Baekhyun turned on his heels, ready to flee away from further embarrassment he most probably would make of himself when Chanyeol caught his wrist. It was a soft touch, yet Baekhyun found himself unable to move.

He looked at the man, at his red hair blown softly by the breeze, at his cold blue eyes, at his thick lips….

“You won the tourney as well. Can I give you my favor?’

“What… what is it?”

Chanyeol leaned, and maybe Baekhyun wanted it too because their lips met halfway. They kissed, ever so softly beneath the dim light of what remained of the day.

They kissed their first kiss.

 

 

***


	4. BAEKHYUN

Nineteen. Nineteen namedays he had met. Twenty in few moonturns. Jongdae’s words somehow kept ringing back in his ears. _Have you ever thought to be a King one day? Have you ever thought about marriage? Have you even fallen in love?_

_ No.  _ No. The answer was no. Baekhyun had thoughts about flowers, about lemon cakes and greasy roasted chicken, about lands far away, about his people and innocent cheery kids. But he could never picture himself sitting on the Iron Throne. Nor himself with a wife and waddling children.

_ And love… _

A pair of blue eyes, cold as ice, sharp as frostbite appears behind his eyelids. That stare… that straight nose… that plump and slightly chapped red lips… and that red hair, aflame every time the wind blew. He still remembered the taste of those lips. It wasn’t peppermint. He tasted of raspberry and wine. Strong wine that sent Baekhyun’s nerves numb and jolts up to every vein of his blood.

As Baekhyun ran the tips of fingers upon his soft thin lips, he knew he wanted them to be kissed again. And the thought sent shiver running down his spine.

“Baek? I mean Your Grace Baek,” Jongdae’s annoying face appeared behind the door as Baekhyun opened his eyes, thousands of red rose petals that floated on the water covered his naked body. 

“What?”

“The Kingsguard wants a word with you.”

Baekhyun rose to his feet almost at once. He never had privacy about his body to his servants ever since he was born. And this was Jongdae out of everyone. The man fetched him a silky robe which Baekhyun gladly took.

His eyebrows knitted, however, at the news at hand.

“What’s the matter? Is this a bad omen?” The wedding had just done the three days prior. Followed by big feast three days and one night. The euphoria was still there. So, what now?

“I can’t say,” the squire said, fetching a towel to dry Baekhyun’s light blonde hair. “But you better hurry before it become a bad thing. Ser Taecyeon isn’t my favorite among all the seven Kingsguard.”

“Ser Taecyeon, you say?”

As a part of royal family, Baekhyun grew up used to have one of the Kingsguard around him. But ever since Ser Taecyeon was made to wear the white cloak by the King himself, few years ago to replace the old Ser Sowoon who died by feverish, Baekhyun never once so close with him. It was usually Ser Minho the youngest or Ser Nickhun who were about him. Most often, Ser Taecyeon stayed with the King.

“His Highness wishes for you to join him breakfast in His Highness’ bedchamber, Your Grace,” Ok Taecyeon, the tall man with bulky arms and bronze skin contradicting his white cloak said once Baekhyun gave him permission to enter and tell him his business. The man’s dark brown eyes straight to the wall behind Baekhyun as the prince busying himself tightening his opened robe. There was no expression on that tight jaw. And his dark eyes were as good as gargoyle stone.

“You may go. I will put on some clothes and come to father at once.”

“I will wait outside and escort you there, Your Grace.”

Baekhyun almost rolled his eyes. Taecyeon was the strictest between all the Kingsguard, the man wasn’t known to smile. He stood like a spear and fight like a sword. He was made to kill, that one.

“No need. I won’t be lost in my father’s palace. I lived here for 19 namedays already so no need to worry. You may go. I will take some time to put nourish oil on my hair.” 

There was a slight hesitation on his almost unreadable stone face. But Baekhyun could read that and he dismissed the man quickly. “Just go, I need privacy.”

“If you say so.”

Taecyeon bowed his head then took his leave.

“He always scares me,” Jongdae muttered. “I never seen him smiles.”

“Neither do I.”

Baekhyun ended up with not only oil but also thin touch of powder and some charcoal around his eyes. Baekhyun never proud of his small eyes, they were never intimidating even if he tried. When they were younger, Baekbeom always called his small pup, because he looked like one.

_ A prince must look fierce,  _ he thought.

Jongdae gave him deep white woolen tunic with thin blue robe. Baekhyun didn’t give much thought about it as he was busy wondering what his father wanted of him. Surely, it wasn’t only breakfast.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Jongdae asked. His hands combing Baekhyun’s soft sunlight hair.

“No.”

“Good. I will then have time to breathe and feel manly again. Bathing a prince every day and combing his hair currently making me feel less so.”

“Bugger you, Jongdae! I can send you back to your father shorten by head if I wish.” Yet, the twinkling of his eyes gave away the treat. 

Jongdae laughed and put a small crown upon Baekhyun’s head.

“Too bad you love me, Your Grace.”

After greeting two of the guards outside Maegor Holdfast, Baekhyun made his way across a lawn of green grass and roses garden. It was the King Tower he was trying to reach, wondering if his father already waiting for him. It was rare for his father to invite him for breakfast. Most often than not, he was only summoned to get some good scolding after the mess he caused. It was usually Baekbeom by his side. His father’s favorite. Baekbeom and never Baekhyun.

He was halfway there. Yet, a glimpse of Hand’s Tower stood before the King’s Tower, Baekhyun forgot his real intention.

Lee Sooman, their grandmaester, a short man with thin hair and gold chain on his fat neck, told him that their guests, the Parks are given place there in the Hand’s Tower.

_ He is there,  _ his mind whispered ever so secretly.

And… it had been years since the last time he visited the place. He wanted to know if it had changed.

Aye, that was definitely the reason why he was sneaking into the Hand’s tower this early in the morning, careful not to be spotted by sleepy guards who, luckily for Baekhyun, most are still drowsy after awake all night, not to mention the big feasts everyone had involved in while standing behind their spears. After climbing few set of steps, he came onto a door that he knew once occupied by the previous Hand’s son. Baekhyun actually was not sure if this was that red-haired bedchamber or not. So he bent down to take a look through the keyhole.

But the view wasn’t what he was expecting. He definitely did not expect to see Chanyeol taking off his sleeping robes. Definitely not the view of the taught muscles of his back. Baekhyun should have drawn away by now. _He was breaking through someone privacy!_ He told himself but couldn’t move his body. It was as if he had frozen there by the chill that had nothing related to the morning mist. Only his eyes were getting bigger there were almost pop out of their sockets.

Chanyeol turned to his direction, giving him the view of his hard abs and _seven save me!_ Baekhyun gulped. He reached for his breeches and… Baekhyun’s heart beat fast against his ribs.

He blinked away the nervousness upon anticipating the next scene revealed only to see nothing, Chanyeol was not there anymore. And before he could react anything, the door swung open. The same abs was now in front of him, so close it was almost touching his nose.

“What are you doing here?” Deep voice. Huskier than what Baekhyun remember it was.

Baekhyun quickly stood straight, and even so he still felt so small in front of the man who was now towering over him. His scrutinizing gaze made him look even bigger than he already was.

“I- um I’m looking for father of course!”

“A king should be in the King’s Tower, where else do you expect him to sleep in?”

“I- HE LIKES TO SLEEP WALKING YOU KNOW!”

“Sure.”

The determination in Chanyeol’s eyes made all the blood rushed up and decided to pool around Baekhyun’s plump cheeks. He looked everywhere but the tall male.

“Are you sure you are not the want sleep-walking?” 

Never had Baekhyun felt like a fool in his entire life more than this moment.

“Ouch! I- Father wants me! He must be worried now. I better be gone and find him now before he makes half of the City Watch come looking for me”

Baekhyun quickly turned on his heels, hoping he could bury his face as soon as possible but the taller’s deep voice stopped him.

“Good morning,” he said. Almost in a whisper.

Baekhyun didn’t answer. But there was a shy smile settling on his lips, cheeks, even eyes before he fled away in embarrassment.

_ Good morning,  _ Baekhyun spelled again outside the tower. He looked up at the sky, it was dark grey, promising rain before noon. Yet for Baekhyun, he was sure the smile on his lips was permanent and nothing could break it.

It was indeed a good morning.

 

***

 

Younger Baekhyun often described as a walking disaster.  He was bright, handsome, beautiful, sweet, loved to laugh and loved to make other laugh. Sometimes, the way he made the others laugh were by pulling japes on almost everyone, even the King himself or his Lord guests. Often as not, it would bring him to end up in the King’s bed chamber to receive his scowls and punishments. As he grown up, that thing actually didn’t change much, just more scowls and more pouring of words.

As Baekhyun edged his steps, he wonder was it the soup he told the guardsmen were made of a fresh head they took down from the spike yesterday when they found an eyeball inside? It was only an ox’s eye, though. They should have known not to believe Baekhyun (but they all threw up anyway). Baekhyun cringed inside, he didn’t want to be locked up in his bedchamber again and forced to eat cucumber.

Two of the guards were posted on the steps and one of the Kingsguard, a rather thick man, Ser Kangin was on the door. He let Baekhyun inside before even the prince opened his mouth. 

When Baekhyun entered the King’s chamber, he found the King were breaking his fast by the windows with fresh steamy white bread, boiled eggs, a roasted duckling, some blood orange and a skin of wine.

“Father,” Baekhyun said, stealing the King’s attention.

“Oh, my son. Come here! Have breakfast with me.”

“I already broke my fast, Your Highness,” he lied and sat.

The King tore the meaty part of his duck and put it into his mouth with his dagger before washed it down with few gulp of wine. Baekhyun slightly frowned in disapproval.

“Father, isn’t it too early for wine?” His father liked to boast about his younger days, the days when he was the strongest. There was not a day without him honing his waraxe and shaved his beard with the blade. But now, there was not a day without a taste of wine.

The King only chuckled. “Wine, beer, ale… are man’s true friends, son. When they have too much to worry, to them we are running to.”

_ From what, father? The sadness?  _ Baekhyun knew, everyone in the Red Keep who worked here long enough knew, he changed much after Lady Hera died.

Baekyun didn’t answer, nor did he ask a question. Whilst he was waiting for his father to tell him the true intention he was summoned, his attention was distracted by a clinking sounds afar. He look outside the windows; three people are training. Two on one. Baekhyun recognized the two as the men he saw around Lord Park’s companion, his men. And the other one… he wore armor without a helm. His red hair were blown by the wind yet he could never bring himself to care as he was busy to attack, defend, attack, defend, and attack again. None other than Park Chanyeol battling with the two guardsmen.

_ He was quick as well as he was strong. _

Baekhyun let out a small gasp as Chanyeol knocked down one of the guard almost two sizes of him in width. 

“Look at him, Son. One day he will be a Lord with a dozen of bannermen and thousands of men to seek for his lead. One day he will be the Warden of the North after his father. Should a battle come, he will lead his army marching for enemy. And he will fight bravely.”

_ That’s true…  _ Baekhyun could feel it. Yet he didn’t feel good of what was about to come from his father.

“Don’t you want to be like him, Son?”

At that, Baekhyun snapped his head.

“W-what do you mean, father?”

“You should learn much more about swords, Baekhyun. All master at arms in Kings Landing and the ones I brought to you from the far lands already gave up on you. After this morning, you’ll be training under Lord Sungjin’s son.”

All at once, Baekhyun rose. “WHAT?! HIM?!”

The king just looked up at him solemnly and drank one gulp from his cup again.

“He would make you a good swordfish, and an ideal Prince.”

_ Ideal Prince.  _ What he would never be.

“One more,” the King said, pointing his egg in the air. As if it wasn’t hurt enough. “Later in the afternoon, help Lady Chaeyoung to look more to the beauty around.”

 

***

 

The idea didn’t sit well with Baekhyun.   _I don’t need sword,_ he’d like to insist. I can still get someone’s head by my bow and arrows. But of course, his father wouldn’t listen. 

The smell of rain last night was in the chill air as he made his way to the play yard.

“The King told me to teach you,” the man said. He was standing there waiting for Baekhyun to stand before him. He was tall, that Baekhyun knew. But inside the armor, he looked bigger, fiercer… gallant.

_ Father’s ideal son,  _ he amused. But where he should hate the man and turn envy, he found himself staring at him with adoration and faint blush on his face. Through the slid open helm, he could see Chanyeol’s slight smile, but unfortunately he couldn’t see his hair as well.

Baekhyun scrunched his nose up in response.

“I don’t like sword.”

“Why? A sword is a man’s toy, Your Grace.”

_ I hate blood. I hate to shed blood.  _ Instead he answered, “I can do better with arrows.”

“Aye, I saw it,” Chanyeol ducked his head politely. “You can kill from miles away.”

He looked at Baekhyun in the eyes and the shorter felt his cheeks heated up. It wasn’t scary nor intimidating as he would lie to think every time he reflected on the thought of those pair of cold blue eyes. His gaze was gentle, like soft fur and silky blanket, like mother’s touches and lover’s kisses.

“But mastering sword is important as well. Enemies don’t always stay far. Sometimes they are close to you all the time. And at such time, sword is all you need.”

“That’s not of your concern, Ser.” He replied instead, curtly. “I can take care of myself.”

But Chanyeol didn’t care. He didn’t spat, he didn’t turn away, he just didn’t have anything shown on his comely face. He threw Baekhyun his blunt long sword and Baekhyun almost lost his balance trying to catch it.

“It’s not yet a greatsword.” There was a hint of amusement in his voice, to which Baekhyun grumbled. He knew it was just a regular long sword, one-handed, not the one needed two hands to be lifted like the greatsword the King’s Justifier used. Baekhyun couldn’t even lift that one without his arm being hurt.

With unnecessary grunt, the Prince lifted up the sword to try a slash of blow and almost staggered back if not for Chanyeol holding his hand; the weight of his body was leaned against the man behind him. Their skin brushing together, causing Baekhyun couldn’t chase away the blush creeping up his cheeks.

“First,” Chanyeol whispered and held him on the waist. “Your legs must stand stronger, spread them wider.”

Baekhyun did just that, heart racing fast as he felt a pair of strong arms around his body, huge calloused hand wrapped around his to lift the word. _Slash. Slash._ Chanyeol blew. Baekhyun blew.

“Stick them with pointy end,” Chanyeol said before releasing the smaller.

And s _tick them with pointy end_ Baekhyun did to invisible foe before him.

 

***

 

It was few days later when Baekhyun found himself climbing up the steps of the Hand’s Tower again. This time, for another purpose.

With one of the Kingsguard in tow, Baekhyun walked almost stiffly, he could hear his own footsteps on the cold marble floor. He didn’t like the prospect one bit. Baekhyun was no stranger to maids. When he was little, he was raised and bathed by the hand-maids. When he was big enough to attend himself, he was given few squires to help with his needs and wants; Jongdae was his favorite, and the only one remained now. Sometimes when he passed some kitchen girls and washerwomen, he would greet them as well. And in some occasion, Baekhyun met and played with some highborn ladies from his father’s bannermen.

But this was different, Baekhyun knew. The way his father asked him for this, he had this queasy feeling ever since. Yet, he couldn’t exactly figure out why.

In front of Chanyeol’s bedchamber, Baekhyun halted. The same door he had peeked at some time ago was now closed, and couldn’t help but wondering what was the man about. 

“This way, Your Grace.” Nickhun interrupted him then led him to another bedchamber on the farthest isle.

There was a guard on the door wearing grey cloak of Parks. The Parks’ men. The lean guard soon tucked his spear down and bowed at Baekhyun.

“Your Highness,” he said. “My Lady has been waiting for you.”

He opened the door and Baekhyun could see some maids rushing away, leaving the young lady of Winterfell sitting alone on the edge of her fur bed. She quickly—but not without grace of a noble lady—rose to her feet and walked toward Baekhyun.

The first thing Baekhyun realized of her was, that she was tall enough for women, almost Baekhyun’s height, a little willowy with her flat chest and slim body. Yet her beauty was undeniable, just as the men said. Auburn hair framing her heart-shaped face. Her eyes big and round with the color blue. _That color._ Her nose was free of freckles.  Her lips small and red. The young lady of Winterfell before him was beyond comely.

She was pretty in night sky silk dress that reached the floor behind her. Her hair net had a gem of the similar color, sapphire stones, on it. Realizing Baekhyun’s gaze on her, she tucked a little of her curl auburn behind her ear.

“Your Grace.” Her voice was soft and timid.

Baekhyun could feel her nervous, so he flashed her his usual bright smile. All curve up and eyesmile, with a little show of teeth. _The smile that put sun into shame, they said._

“You look so lovely today, My Lady. I feel so lucky to be able to show you our humble keep and city.”

Courtesy, was all he had been taught about. If there was another thing beside archery that Baekhyun good at, it was it. His soft voice and cheery attitude, pouring sweet words to whosever ears he wished, that what he was good at. Charming people.

Lady Chaeyoung gave out a shy giggle. “It’s not humble at all, Your Grace. It feels like to be in a fairy tale, being here.”

“Aye, then let this brave knight escort you out of the dragon pit that had trapped you for a lifetime, will you?” He chuckled and showed her his elbow, which she sheepishly tugged at. Her small hand barely wrapped around his. 

 “Are you ready? I am about to show you the beauty of this place.”

They walked into the garden then. Sharing little stories about Red Keep and Winterfell. Baekhyun brought her to the stable and together they rode into the city with Minho and a half dozen of Parks guardsmen followed behind. There wasn’t much to tell, all they exchanged was courtesies and few compliments. Every once in awhile, Chaeyoung would let out giggle at Baekhyun’s japes. And by the end of their little wander, as Baekhyun escorted her back to the Hand’s Tower, Chaeyoung already had a tight grip on Baekhyun’s hand without she even realized it.

The short trip and Chaeyoung’s companion were relaxing on Baekhyun’s side. He found himself laughed and smiled as much. But as they took the path beside the play yard, he soon knew what he was missing.

Chanyeol was there. Practicing. He did a lot of sword practice.

And as Baekhyun looked at Chaeyoung again, everything felt different. She was different from Chanyeol, he reflected as he stared at the shy girl before him. Their hair, their eyes…. Their lips are pretty similar though, a little pouty, though Chanyeol’s were thicker.

_ And felt good and warm. _

All blood rushed to his cheeks and Baekhyun resisted them to show. Instead, he tried to hide them by taking Chaeyoung’s hand and kisses her softly on her knuckle.

“I’ll see you safely to your chamber, my lady.”

His steps fell beside Chaeyoung’s surely. Yet he couldn’t help but glanced at the tall figure in the play yard again.

_ He was longing for the Wolf. _

 

***

 

_ Left. Right. Left. Right.  _ Baekhyun repeated in his head, then moved just like that. He slashed forward, catching Chanyeol off-guard as the taller didn’t expect his sudden bold move. He could have gotten the red-haired man on the ribs but his force was still weak and Chanyeol’s blunt sword met his halfway, before droving him back.

Baekhyun fell on his arse with a half groan half whine. He looked adorable with nose scrunched up and lips jutted out in protest and pain that Chanyeol almost chuckled. _Almost_. However, the dull point of his sword rested on the side of Baekhyun’s neck, ready to behead the smaller if only it was real sword.

_ Cold,  _ Baekhyun thought. _But war has no mercy nor love. And so did death. Only cold._ And Baekhyun wondered how many times he could have died on Chanyeol’s hands. None of those he seemed mind. He wanted to die in his sick-bed, that, or in his lover’s arms.

“Get up,” he said.

Instead, Baekhyun stared at Chanyeol as he removed his helm. His red hair was a shade darker, matted to his forehead, whilst his lips slightly apart, allowing some air to rush up his lungs. He panted. So did Baekhyun. The prince didn’t realize how much he needed to breathe as couldn’t get up by himself and chose to fall back on his bottom, sprawled on the grass.

“Are you hurt?”

His big hand reached up for Baekhyun and it took awhile for the smaller to take. Chanyeol lifted him up and when they were face to face, he leaned down to removed Baekhyun’s helm.

Baekhyun gaped. His forehead fell so sticky with sweat; his hair was everywhere, damped and lose it light curls. Baekhyun immediately felt self-conscious. The only thing that held him from running away was Chanyeol’s gaze. It was so intense that Baekhyun found himself almost shivering under those eyes. He must be hard to look upon now, gone was The Prince of the Sunflowers Chanyeol and everyone used to see. Yet there it was. Chanyeol’s gaze on him was soft, endearing.

It was as if Chanyeol wanted to caress him, touch him, kiss him right there and then. He didn’t. For the Mother and the love she bear for Her children, he didn’t. Baekhyun didn’t whether he was relieved or disappointed.

Baekhyun’s gaze fell to man’s lips. Seven knows how much he wanted to feel them again, to taste him and felt as if the world wasn’t King’s Landing and Winterfell, wasn’t the Iron Throne and Lord, but them, just them two.

But he knew he couldn’t.

In King’s Landing, even the walls had ears and eyes, of much, Baekhyun had learned. There was no place safe. There was no secret that was secret.

_ I miss you,  _ he wanted to say, he always wanted to say in every their sword practice session. But never the words escaped his mouth.

 “Always have a good base and never doubt,” Chanyeol said. _I miss you,_ his eyes seemed to say instead. “The foe will never doubt to part your head with your body. Stick ‘em with pointy end.”

“Stick ‘em with pointy end,” Baekhyun nodded. “I will. I will defeat you on the morrow!”

There was a sadness came across his face. Baekhyun clutched the wooden sword in his hand tighter; he had ill feeling all of sudden. It was proven true, however, just few moments later. 

Chanyeol smiled a sad longing smile.

 “On the morrow… I’m coming back to Winterfell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: "Stick 'em with pointy end" ahaha do you remember? Twas what Jon said to Arya :'D  
> Anyway I'm sorry for taking too long to update [need to work on other fanfics too] I will update next chap next saturday! I hope you still like this update TT can you feel the drama yet? Please let me know what you think  
> Talk to me on twitter! @specialnay27 only if you want. I need friends anyway


	5. JONGDAE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jongdae's perspective.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Heterosexual smut scene ahead. I'm trying to make things as closed to reality and to the series as possible as I can. This is Jongdae focus, still about ChanBaek. I hope you can enjoy this one too.

 

 

The woman let out a strangled moan that vibrated through the veins of his cock, making it as hard as gargoyle against his will. She surely knew how make most use of her tongue and mouth as she kept sucking as if his cock was her last and only meal after starving for days. Her dark brown nipples were huge to match her pair of big teats that jiggled with her every move. Jongdae found himself grabbing for her thick hair as he got hardened much quicker than he would have thought. He swore this was only a plan, a way. He left his heart somewhere else. But his cock betrayed him the moment she stripped herself naked and crawled between his legs.

 _This is not right, this is not right,_ he told himself. He kept telling himself. He remembered the plan. He remembered Seungwan, the small girl with honey on her hair and honey on her smile. He remembered her innocent eyes and their forgotten promises. But by few strokes and squeezes on the base of his manhood and whorish mouth devouring from the tip to the middle like a suckling little babe on her mother’s teat, Jongdae came.

The woman detached her face and licked around her lips in a seductive way. Clearly, she wasn’t having enough. For the night was still long and this was only the beginning.

“My lord,” she breathed. As Jongdae looked down at her, he couldn’t help but eye her teats again, round and big, firm, bouncing each time. She wasn’t even fat. A little on the plump side, perhaps, but fat was what he would call the cooking lady in the Red Keep. Her waist was slim yet her hips were big enough. _She is good to make a lot of children,_ he thought. Better yet, she wasn’t hard to look upon.

“Can you tell me now?” He asked instead.

She didn’t answer immediately, choosing to climb the hard-surfaced bed and sat on Jongdae’s lap. He could feel her wetness on his thighs. Guiding Jongdae’s hands to cup her breasts, she smiled a kind smile, oddly. And it was the most beautiful part of her, that smile. Her dark long hair was all mess by now, her brown eyes were lustful, her lips was the most seductive, spilling sinful words to Jongdae’s ears. Yet her smile remained innocent and Jongdae found himself admired that one.

“Fill me up, my lord. And I’ll answer anything you ask me.”

He felt her nubs got erected under his palm and Jongdae stroked them gently, drawing a silent gasp from her.

“You said you know Park Chanyeol. What kind of man is he?”

“Mmhh…,” she kept bouncing on Jongdae’s palm as he kneaded her. “Yes… Yes.. I know him. I will.. I will tell you everything.” She was breathless. Jongdae felt himself stirring to live again.

“How is he?” He squishes harder, making the woman moaned louder.

“I have known him for as long as he lives,” she started, mouth permanently half opened every time she was not talking. “My father works as steward and castellan of Winterfell, and I- I am two namedays older than him. He is like a little brother I never have, we played… we played as kids. Ah my lord, don’t be too hard—He was a nice kid, liked to laugh and played wooden sword. And he was shy. But when he grew up, he grew up to the likely of his father.”

If what Jongdae heard was right, Park Chanyeol was nineteen, like he and Prince Baekhyun. The steward’s daughter only slightly older than him, but somehow, she looked much more mature than her age. Two namedays older…. Just like Seungwan.

“Like his father?”

“He was after his father; cold and proud. He’s not close to anyone but Kris and his beast. Yet he was also known as attentive to his siblings. Never did he committed any wrong doing, not that I know of. He refused women and would sooner marry his sword or that direwolf of his.”

“A noble man,” He concluded. _Man who knows_ _only sword_. _Not bad. But does he know how to love something too? Or someone._ “Is he true?” That all he needed to know.

The woman’s eyes flickered to find his, a thin smile dancing upon her lips. “He is the truest knight that songs sing about and maidens dream of.”

“Don’t you dream of him too?”

 _Did you fuck him? Will you fuck him too if he lets you?_ He couldn’t help but wondered. He recalled how did this start. The plan.

“You look lonely, my lord. Do you wish for a company?” she approached him that night at the feast. When Jongdae quietly sipped his wine and enjoy his fair share of meet on his table with the other squires and hedge knights when she slipped to sit beside him. She slipped her hand on Jongdae’s thighs and the other was frozen in place.

The other squire had kitchen girls and washer woman on their laps. Jung Yoonoh even had two giggling women on both his side, clinging like leeches. Jongdae knew themselves. Some he exchange greetings with every day. Some he just knew by face. But this girl- woman beside him was a new face.

“Who are you?” He had asked.

“My name is Hwang Jihyo. I came with Lord Sungjin. My father is the steward in Winterfell. Before him it was my grandfather and before my grandfather it was my great grandfather. It’s said our ancestor had been steward and Castellan ever since the North was still ruled by its own King, King Chanhyung The Wise.”

“Winterfell?”

“Yeah… and you are KImJongdae, right?”

“How do you know?”

“You are handsome, my lord.”

Jongdae squinted. He couldn’t deny the blood rushing to his face. But he wasn’t a total fool, either.

“What do you want of me?”

“It might be the other way around.”

“What do you mean?”

She smiled and caressed the inside of his thigh. “Someone told me you’re in need of my company, my lord.”

 _I didn’t,_ Jongdae almost blurted out. But he remembered. His eyes soon swapped through the crowd, to the dais where Lords and The King Council were having their own grand feast. His eyes locked to the one slim figure. And their eyes met.

 _The plan,_ Jongdae recalled.

And that was how he got this woman in his lap and her breasts in his palms.

She leaned then, latching her lips with Jongdae’s. He remembered Seungwan again. Where Jihyo’s lips full and wet, Seungwan’s were thin and sweet. Where Jihyo whispered languid seductions, the small girl he could remembered giggled innocently. He took her maiden head that night, under the watchful eyes of stars and crescent moon. They weren’t that innocent anymore, but the way she laughed, like the small maiden she was, carved in Jongdae’s memory.

“Maidens may dream of him, my lord, talking about songs and sigh in their foolish dream. But I am no maiden. The cruelty of the world touched me when my late husband took me, and some wildling took his head away.” There was bitterness in her tone, but it wasn’t long. Because her lips were as sweet as Harbour’s wine.

“I am just a lonely widow, wanting for some brave knight to warm me. I want to feel loved again.”

Along the whisper, he guided his hand down, cupping the wet of her cunt. Jongdae didn’t take long this time to make her lay on the hard surfaced bed and pushed the tip of his cock inside of her.

“Fuck me, my lord,” she gasped.

“I will. Only if you promise  to help me of one more thing.”

“I will. I will do anything you ask me to.”

Then he sheathed himself fully inside her.

For a moment, the girl with honey in her hair and honey in her smile disappeared from his mind as he reached his high.

 

***

 

Before dawn, Jongdae pulled up his breeches and left the bedchamber, leaving the woman still naked and asleep. He pulled his hood up and disappeared into the night.

It wasn’t  his plan. It was someone else’s. He just had agreed.

Tonight, he was going to visit the same place like he did two nights prior. He walked as quiet as he could manage in the empty corridor. It was dark, only the dim light of the torchlits that placed upon the wall that casted feeble light, making the wall looked grey. From one torch to another were placed so far that Jongdae could stand in the middle without anyone realized he was there. Until they completely disappeared the further Jongdae walked, until the hall has become the blackest pit in the seven hells.

Passing the dragons room, Jongdae slowed down, almost completely halted in his stead waiting for his eyes to adjust to the lack of light. It was almost futile as he had to put his hand on the wall and followed along. He felt like blind man. Through the dark grey outline of the walls and some doors, Jongdae knew he was near. He kept walking until  his toe stubbed on a stone surface, he finally found the well. Unlike the last time he visited, it was empty and dark. He stood there for a moment, listening, waiting.

He was alone. And he almost cursed.

_Where is the witch?_

Deciding to sit with his back on the wall, Jongdae questioned himself again. He mayhaps what Baekhyun would call foolish sometimes. But he wasn’t stupid. Clearly wasn’t deaf and blind as well.

When he saw Baekhyun interacting with the son of Lord Park and how his eyes filled with sparks everytime he would go back to his bedchamber, all smiling for no reason. Jongdae knew, he knew at once.

Because he once felt the same feeling. _Son Seungwan._ Son Seungwan of house Son, where he and his cousin Jongin fostered at. Lord Son was higher lord than his father was, and a man with ambition. He fell in love with the girl who he always rode together with, always wanted to be faster than the other. He fell in love with the girl who taught him how to braid her hair and braided his hair in return. He fell in love with that girl with innocent giggle, with honey in both her hair and smile. But he was only thirteen and she, fifteen. Sooner than he would wish, Lord Son was marrying her off to some lord of Storm End. He had lashed out back then, asking for her, challenging her betrothed for duel. It all was nothing. Lord Son got angry to his father.

Seungwan’s sweet smile… her sweet smile was all he wanted. But all he could remember that day was tears all over her face before they sent her to Storm End, and him to Kings Landing.

Love was bitter. It could make a man weak with an attack harsher than the flux. Jongdae tasted it. And he didn’t want Baekhyun to feel the same. The Prince of Sunflower who he cherished like a brother of his own blood.

 _They were in love. And at the wrong one._ Baekhyun was prince and Chanyeol was heir of the Winterfell. But they were both men and the world are supposed for men and women, sun and moons, night and days. Not a man with another man.

 _Abomination,_ they would call it. Everyone.

Their love was very dangerous.

“Stop it Baek,” he whispered to his sire one day. But the sad eyes Baekhyun gave him more than he could bear.

So Jongdae decided to risk his head on a spike for this. One wrong move and his beloved head would never see the sun rise ever again.

Probably that was what brought him to Kim Heechul. Or was it Kim Heechul to him? Jongdae could never really trust the master of coins with his flowery perfumed satin. He looked like woman and acted like one. He was no man, and Jongdae should never trust him.

But the Black Bird had allured Jongdae to his trap.

“You came?” Came a voice from distant.

Then Jongdae heard it. Somewhere below, he could make out the noises; the scrapes of boots against the stone steps, faint, but were there. A flickering light finally brushed the wall, it came up, closer and bigger with each steps. As Jongdae stood up, a figure appeared not so long after. Jongdae had to close his eyes as he looked at the blinding light of the torchlit the newcomer was holding.

“You did it,” he said with soft voice that sounded almost like singing. And it wasn’t even a question.

“You took so long.”

“There were news I just received,” the master of coins answered softly, his round eyes glittered beside the flame, it made him look evil. “Do Jeonghan had made a deal with the Gold Companion and Redfish Brothers.  It also said that he is gathering army and ships in Free Cities. The King must be informed at once.”

Jongdae nodded. _Could that mean the war is coming?_

Do ancestors once sat on the Iron throne, long time ago when the dragons weren’t only tale and the children of the forest still sang their songs. Do Sangwook had tried to win the seven kingdom back, only to have waraxe through his head during the reign of Byun Jaerim, three generations ago. Yet they never really gave up. Now every of his generation tried to sack the KingsLanding again. It was always small battle, loosing on their side. But it had been long years without anything. Do family was gathering their armies. Now, Jongdae wasn’t sure anymore it would be a small battle.

It might be a war.

“How was it?” Kim Heechul asked. And before Jongdae could answer, he nodded to himself, as if he already knew. He always already knew everything. “You did it. And enjoyed the night too.”

“I was not—“

“Shush. Young lads like you,” he smiled, putting soft fingers on Jongdae’s shoulder. “It was no less of use for both parties. Now, you just need to do one more thing. But this one is more dangerous than the last.”

There was no harm with fucking a steward daughter, but clearly there would be with the next plan.

 

***

 

As he left Magor’s Holdfast and crossed the yard that morning, he saw some Northmen lining the horses, some others loading meats, turnips and corns into a couple of wagons. He recognized one of them as Yoonoh, a squire he was talking to in few occasions.

“Jongdae?” the tall boy greeted him as Jongdae made his way toward him.

“Ready to leave?”

“Aye, Lord Sungjin wants to leave at the first light on the morrow.”

Jongdae nodded. He had less than a day then. _Less than a day to have my head still intact._

“I’ll go my way then,” he patted Yoonoh on the shoulder and made his way toward the kitchen. There was not much time to be wasted.

Looking through the servants; cooks and kitchen girls alike going back and forth on their business, Jongdae almost couldn’t recognize her if it wasn’t for her tapping his shoulder and whispered ‘my lord’ in his ear.

“Is everything ready?” He tried to sound normal. She was clad in a grey rough spun everyone else in the kitchen also wore. With her hood pulled up, no one could tell, and would like to tell who she was.

As long as they act as not to awakening curious eyes.

Jihyo shook her head and Jongdae and walked toward a line of cooks busy with their own pans. “Prince Baekhyun wanted to have dinner in his own bedchamber. Is it ready?”

“Wait for the soup. It’s not yet fully cooked,” the fat cook, the fattest man Jongdae had ever seen answered. His eyes flickered to Jongdae, recognized him in a flash. Yet his gaze lingered longer than it should have at Jihyo, and Jongdae felt his heart beat faster against his chest.

What if they are found out?

“What’s your name?” he asked, seemed interested. His gaze stuck on her chest, even through the rough maid spun, the outline of her big teats was still visible.

“Eun Sa. She’s mute,” Jongdae answered for her.

“Oh mute? Too bad she can’t scream on my bed tonight. But no matter, she could still warm my cold bed. What do you say, sweety?”

There was a gulp, before Jongdae braved himself and spoke up. “Leave her alone. She is to attend the prince’s needs now. You can have her later.”

They were lucky because not long after, the huge pan full of soup started bubbling up. A kitchen girl gave him a big bowl of it. The steam smelled so good Jongdae almost drooled.

They brought the foods on a cart until they met the stairs. Jongdae helped carrying a tray when one of the guards spoke.

“Where’s the other maid? Usually there are two to bring foods. It’s too hassle to bring ‘em alone.”

Jongdae halted. His throat was stricken, the nerve made him almost drop his tray.

“Oh, she suddenly needs to use the privy.”

When the guard didn’t reply—he seemed drunk, anyway—Jongdae took it upon himself to continue his steps, followed by Jihyo. He prayed to The Mother for her bless and for The Children and even The Warriors to get him through this safely. And even if Jongdae could never call himself pious, this time his prayers were answered. He hadn’t met anyone again and saw himself tucked safely inside Baekhyun’s bedchamber.

The Prince staring out the window when he came in all haste, a maid was behind him. Baekhyun knitted his eyebrows.

“You seem like you just saw a ghost.”

“Worse. I feel like I just saw _my ghost_! Headless, lurking around this keep.”

Baekhyun stayed silent. Jongdae had anticipated some reply like ‘good for you’ or harsher, ‘headless you is better than you with a head’. It was just so Byun Baekhyun. But nothing came. As the squire waddled closer, he found the sadness in those used to be bright green eyes.

“Hurry, Baekhyun. We don’t have much time.”

As if it was a commando, Jihyo quickly took of her robe, leaving herself in her small clothes, breasts bared, and Baekhyun gaped at the action.

“W-what-“

The question didn’t get to leave his mouth. Jongdae already pulled his clothes, whispering ‘hurry’ for the second time. When Baekhyun didn’t follow his instruction, he sighed.

“Just trust me, Baek. I’m doing this for you. You want to see Chanyeol, right?”

To the mention of that name, Baekhyun’s eyes seemed to lit up.

“I will help you. But you have to trust me. Just wear this and follow me,” he said, shoving to Baekhyun’s hands the grey rough spun of maid’s robe.

“You can help me?” there was doubt in his voice, but not in his eyes.

Jongdae nodded. “Yes, but I can’t dispatch you as a Prince with all the Kingsguard and guards around. You must be someone else.”

Looking down at the garment in his hands, Baekhyun was quick to understand.

“But why maid’s robe?!”

“Because you fit one,” the squire answered nonchalantly and stepped back, afraid of something will be of use to hit him.

“Just trust me, and follow, Your Grace.”

 

***


End file.
